This evolving reality explains why the recent Joint Declaration signed between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Customs Administration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands deserves attention beyond the routine exchange of diplomatic courtesies.

Few aspects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform programme have attracted more public attention than the economy. Debate has centred on fiscal policy, exchange-rate reforms, inflation, taxation, investment and the cost of living. These are the measures by which governments are usually judged because they shape economic confidence and influence the daily lives of citizens.

The recent decline in global crude oil prices has rekindled hope for millions of Nigerians burdened by persistently high fuel costs.

The Federal Government's rejection of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) recommendation to impose new taxes on petroleum products and telecommunications services has brought welcome relief to millions.

The horrifying death of 35-year-old Ummulkhairi Aliyu in Kaduna is another painful reminder that jungle justice remains one of the darkest stains on Nigeria's justice system.

‎In every economy, institutions matter, but so do the individuals at the helm. In Nigeria, where government revenues remain critical to funding budgets, servicing debt, and financing development, a few public officials wield enormous influence by virtue of the agencies they oversee.